Device for holding hat-bodies upon expansible hat-blocks



2 Sheets-Sheet L (No Model.)

E. .TWEEDY DEVICE FR ULDING HAT BODIES UPON EXPANSIBLE HAT BLOCKS.

Nm 283,363. Patentedug. 14, 1883.

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1 E. TWEEDY.

DEVICE FOR HOLDINGHAT'BODIES UPON EXPANSIBLE HAT BLOGKS.

No. 283,363. 'Patented Aug. 14,18%.k

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ED'MND TVE'EDY', OEDANBURY, GONNECIIGUT.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING HAT-BODIES UPON EXPANSIBLE HAT-BLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettersl Patent No. 283,363, dated August14, ieee.

Application tiled July 3. 1888. (No model.)

.To all whontit may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND TWEEDY, ofDanbury, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented acertain newan d useful combinationof devices for holding hating anenpansible hat-block and devices ap:

l hat,

pertaining thereto, with the hat in position and shown in section. Fig.4 is a side view of the same on the plane y y of Fig. 3, the hat alsobeing shown in section, with one side of the brim curled and the otherynot curled. Fig. 5 is a top view of Athe ring which is to surround myhat when the same is upon the expansible block. Fig. 6 is a side view ofa ring curved horizontally to suit the shape of some;

hats. Fig. 7 is a side view of a ring which is straight horizontally.

In the holding of hat-bodies upon expansible blocks friction has usuallybeen relied up on between the outer surface of the hat-block and theinner surface of the hat; but to get a sufficiently firm hold upon thehat so much force has to be exertedthat the hat-body is stretched, sothat it becomes of asize larger than was intended; and this isparticularly liable to happen when the hat is of a very delicatetexture.

I have applied for patents upon inventionsA of my own, which consist inthe use of pins, placed up on theperiphery of expansible blocks, usedwith curling mechanism, and also in the use of roughened surfaces uponthe periphery of the blocks, which roughened surfaces were not intendedto penetrate the material of the and in this way differed from the pinsbefore mentioned. However, these methods are not applicable to somekinds of hats, and, though better than the old one of using smoothfsurfaced blocks, do not answer in every case.

stretching goes, 1s kept within limits.

My present invention consistsof the combination of an expansiblehat-block with a ring of metal, or the like, which, when the block iscontracted and the hat is placed thereon, is slipped down over theoutside ofthe side crown of the hat, which it is intended to fitsubstantially into the position which is usually occupied by thehat-band. 7h en the block is now expanded, the material ofthe hat iscompressed between the outer surface of the block and the inner. surfaceof the metallic ring, the hat being held as in a vise, so that it cannotturn or shift upon the block, while its entire substance between theblock and ring is utilized to hold the hat in position without enlargingthe hat, as the yielding quality of the felt, so far as the The ring ispreferably of metal, and its size of. course depends upon the size ofthe hat-body. The shape of the ring should be such that it will conformmore or less closely to the shape of the hat-block when expanded.v bestmade of copper, tin, or the like material, which yields slightly, not inthe sense that it stretches, but in its capacity to change its shape, ifbent ,or distorted, so that it may iit the shape of the block whenexpanded. The ring should be, Say, one-half (i) of an inch in height;but this dimension may be varied to suit circumstances. The strip whichcomposes the ring should have its ends firmly fastened together, so thatthey are not liable to tear apart under the strain to which the deviceis subjected.

Other materials than metal might .be usedfor the ring; but whatevermaterial is used,V it must be capable of bearing the necessary strainwithout undue stretching, and for this reason I prefer metal, as itstretches the least, is the least bulky, and is strong and able to beara considerable strain. l

In the drawings, at A, I have represented a portion of the frame of ahat-brimcurling maL chine of known construction. At BB are thecurling-tools, which operate upon the brim of the hat while the same isbeing revolved, and which curling-tools may be adapted for any form ofbrim. At c is the mechanism for expanding the expansible hat-block C,which block, when the expanding-cone is withdrawn, is caused to retractby the action of the rubber band d, which, in the machine I have se- Thering is IOO lected for illustration, forms the outer surface of thehat-block, or that surface which bears against the inner surface of thehat-body. At

Ein Figs. `3 and 4 the hat is shown in posi' tion upon the block C. AtHis the ring, preferablyl of metal, and outside ofthe hat-body E, andagainst the inner surface of which ring and the outer surface, d, of thecxpansible block C the hat-body Eis compressed and held when thehat-block is expanded.

The rim may, if desired, be shaped horizon- I tally, as at Fig. 6, andin which gure the ring is shown as having a horizontal curve, whichadapts it for use according to some form of hat-bodies.

Though I have shown my invention as u sed with ya brim-curling machine,I in no way mean to limit it to such use, for -Whenever an expansibleblock is used, and it is desired to hold a hat rmly thereon withoutstretching` or turning, my invention will be applicable.

Although my invention is of the greatest value when used with thin and'delicate hats, it is also'serviceable for other kinds of hatbodies, asit enables a very firm connection to be made between the hat and theblock without in any way'injuring the hat-body itself.

I am aware that rings have been used with non-expansible blocks; but aring so used has to be forced downward over the surface of the l hatwhile pressed very tightly against the same,

which action is liable to injure the outside of the hat. With myinvention the ring is slipped over the hat, and the block is thenexpanded, thus obviating all necessity for moving the ring over the'surface of the hat afterany forcible contact has taken place between theouter surface ofthe hat and the inner surface ofthe ring.

What I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of an expansible hatblock and ring to surround theoutside ofthe hat, and against the inner surface of which and the outersurface of the block the hat can be clamped and held, substantially asherein described.

2. The combination of the expansible hatblock and a ring to surround thehat, which ring is shaped to suit the curve of the hat horizontally,substantially as herein described.

3. A ring for an expansible hat-block, which is practically unyieldingcircumferentially, but

which is sufficiently iiexible to conform to the shape of the hat-block,substantially as herein described.

EDMUND TWEEDY.

. Witnesses: l HENRY L. BREvooRT, JosnPI-r L. LEVY.

